1 . Field of the Invention
This invention lies in the field of biogas and its use as a source of energy, and also in the field of chemical plant design for conversion of biogas to liquid fuel.
2 . Description of the Prior Art
Alternative sources of energy are in ever increasing demand as crude oil fluctuates in price and as governments and the public at large become increasingly concerned over adverse environmental impacts of gaseous emissions from the processing of crude oil. A major group of alternatives to crude oil are the gases commonly known as “biogas” which refers generally to gases resulting from the decomposition of organic matter in the absence of oxygen. The decomposition can occur in disposal facilities for treating municipal waste and waste products in general, and the decomposition processes generally include anaerobic digestion and fermentation of biodegradable materials such as biomass, manure, sewage, municipal waste, and energy crops. The decomposition can also occur naturally in geological formations. Depending on its source, biogas can include hydrogen, methane, and carbon monoxide, as well as relatively benign gases such as nitrogen and carbon dioxide. Natural gas is one form of biogas.
A co-pending United States patent application of potential relevance to the present invention is Application No. 12/171,801, filed Jul. 11, 2008 as a continuation-in-part of Application No. 12/098,513, filed Apr. 7, 2008. The contents of both such applications as they relate to conversion of biogas to liquid hydrocarbon fuel are incorporated herein by reference.